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SCI 143 |
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Syllabus Science 143 Syllabus Course Title: SCI 143 Our
Home/Our Habitat (a Science 2000 course) Term:Spring 2000
(February 28 – April 26) Lecture : TTH 11:00 –
12:30 p.m. Lab: TH 2 – 4 p.m. Instructor: Dr.
Carolyn L. Thomas Office: Garber Hall 225 Phone: 365-4368 E-mail: cthomas@ferrum.edu Office Hours: MWF
11-12 p.m.; MTTH 1 – 2 p.m.; WF 2 – 3 p.m. Description: This course
covers topics related to human homes and natural habitats, especially
how interactions among organisms in ecosystems affect humans and vice
versa. The basic needs of living things will be studied through
the scientific eye and also through the perspective of the Appalachian
culture. Home as a theme or motif in the arts and humanities,
especially in literature, will be compared to the study of habitats and
niches in science, especially in ecosystems. The literary readings
will be used to illustrate how nature and the environment are depicted
in Appalachian literature, and to explore other parallels between
science and the humanities. Specific areas of study will include
use of water, food, and shelter in ecosystems; human homes and
architecture; land use and competition among populations for habitats;
the treatment of these topics in literature and art; cycling of
materials in ecosystems and recurring motifs in literature. Why Take this Class?
Environmental science and the study of ecosystems of this world and
their potential demise have long been an area of concern for scientists
as well as the general public. Relating the details of science and
the study of ecology to each person’s personal experience seems
difficult for many people, but it is important for each of us to
consider the connections between the environment and other areas of our
lives. This course enables students to relate the characteristics
of structure and function of ecosystems to subjects they may be more
familiar with already, including Appalachian literature, art, music,
history, political science, religion and other areas of the humanities
and the arts. The information and ideas in this course will
prepare the students to become better informed citizens in environmental
affairs and to help teach others about the earth and its inhabitants
from a scientific and humanitarian point of view. Textbooks: 1.
Why Big Fierce Animals are
Rare: An Ecologist’s Perspective
(1978) by Paul Colinvaux (required purchase) 2.
Photocopies of lab exercises and
additional readings: (required purchase: $5.00) 3. Some
readings will be placed on reserve in the library SCIENCE
143: COURSE POLICIES Spring
2000 Class and Lab Meeting Times:
Tuesday & Thursday 11-12:15
– Lecture and Discussion, Garber 208; Thursday, 2-4 PM – Lab meeting
time, Garber 208 Absences and Lateness:
Please do not be late or absent from class or lab. If you are late
or absent from class or lab more than 1 time your final grade may be
reduced a letter grade. This class only meets for eight weeks, so
absences are very detrimental. Ferrum College policy mandates that
anyone who misses one-fourth of the class meetings automatically fails
the course. (See college catalog, p. 37.) Grade Evaluation:
There will be one cumulative final exam which will include objective and
essay questions and a practical application portion. There will
also be a course project that requires integrating ecological principles
and some area of the Appalachian Culture in the humanities or arts,
using any appropriate format or media, such as essays, teaching units,
posters, videos, or creative artwork. An oral presentation of this
project to the class and instructor will be required. A journal
must be kept recording class and lab activities, results, and responses
to activities and readings. (More detailed requirements for the
project, the journal, and essays are described in additional handouts.)
Grading Scale: A =
90-100%; B = 80-89%; C = 70-79%; D = 60-69%; F = 0-59% Tobacco: There will
be no tobacco products in the classroom or lab at any time, including
cigarettes, chewing tobacco or any other tobacco product. Honor Code: I
expect absolute honesty and will not tolerate cheating, plagiarism
(including copying of others’ work and inadequate documentation of
sources used), lying, or disrespect for the other students or the
instructor. You are responsible for reading and understanding the
Ferrum College Honor Policy. Any violations will be presented
before the Honor Board or Campus Judicial Board. Labs: You must
attend all labs and must have read the lab assignment before class.
The journal and essay assignments will require you to record activities
and impressions from each lab exercise. The labs will be informal;
however, lab meetings will be very busy with many requirements which
will take up the two hours, so take care to budget your time in order to
complete weekly assignments. Lecture/Discussion
Schedule Notes:
Lab
Schedule Course: SCI
143 Our Home/Our Habitat Instructor:
Dr. Carolyn L. Thomas Lab meeting time:
Thursday, 2-4 p.m. in Garber 208
NOTE:
Reports on six labs must be written by the end of the semester,
following the required lab format outlined in the journal handout.
Please make a note in the journal if you submitted your report of Lab #3
as a formal paper instead of including it in the journal. See
other handouts for other due dates and instructions on journals and
papers. Science
143: Our Home/Our Habitat Writing Assignments:
Choose two of the following
assignments (20% of course grade). If you choose to write three
papers, the grade will be averaged together. These essays and the
project report must be typed and written in standard edited American
English. They should demonstrate mastery of basic skills as
outlined in the Ferrum Foundation Standards. If you need help with
writing skills, see Dr. Crow or Dr. Horn in the Composition Center. 1. Write
a newspaper article or letter to the editor referring to a recent
newspaper article about an environmental issue. Pick an issue,
research the information in the library or on the Internet, and
interview experts or the general public as necessary to write a
well-reasoned and evidence-supported article to summarize the issue or
discuss one important aspect of the environmental issue. (approximately
1 – 2 double-spaced pages.) Due:
March 13, by 5:00 a.m. Leave
in Dr. Thomas’ mailbox in Garber 2. Write a Lab Report on Lab #3 on soil and plants, following the guidelines listed for lab reports in the Journal Handout. Please be detailed and thorough in explaining the lab. Due:
March 30, by 2:00 p.m. 3. Write an analysis of a novel, essay, picture book, or poem that could be read or used in connection with learning about the environment of homes and habitats. Summarize the book very briefly and explain the knowledge and insights gained by the reader. Evaluate the scientific accuracy and learning potential of the book. Our in-class examination of picture books, and poems should give you ideas for patterns and themes to analyze in various stories, poems, and illustrations. (approximately 1-2 typed double-spaced pages) Due:
Any time, but no later than April 25 at 5:00 p.m. Leave
in Dr. Thomas’ mailbox in Garber Hall
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